119 To Capture a Queen

"Xingteng, how you can say that," Yulong hissed at her daughter.

"Mother, you can't seriously condone bringing the new queen back to the dragon realm with those elders still in power?" Xingteng asked seriously.

"Xingteng, have you any idea what sort of backlash revealing this 'truth' to the dragons would cause?" Lanhuo inquired.

"Well maybe it is about time that the hierarchy of the dragon realm was reformed," insisted Xingteng.

"Xingteng, just because you have a personal grudge against the treatment you and your sister received growing up, disrupt the delicate balance of power in the dragon realm," said Laolong coldly.

Throwing her father a disappointed look, Xingteng said, "It has nothing to do with our treatment growing up but with protecting the new queen."

"We will protect her, there is no reason to create such an upheaval —"

"No Xingteng is right," Xinglong said interrupting his father.

"What? Not you too Xinglong?" Laolong growled, disappointed in his son.

"No father you aren't thinking clearly, just relying on the shadow dragons to protect the new queen is foolhardy and shortsighted, let's be honest some of the elders haven't changed they are still as power hungry as they were before. The red, green, bronze, gold, and yellow dragons have suppressed the other sects, all due to the fact that they had queens were able to give birth to so many strong dragons for them.

After the sundering, the black dragons withdrew to their own Blackrock Mountain and they have refused all interactions with the rest of us since, and let's not even bring up how few ice, lightning, rock and desert dragons are left. Do you really think the powerful sects are going to allow the other sect to recover? To a chance to challenge their power?"

"Xinglong right Laolong," Lanhuo said with a sad smile. "It's time for the truth to come out, as only the truth will protect the new queen."

"We don't even know if she will return to us? Or even how long it will take for the children to find her," Laolong said.

"Then it gives you more to time to make sure that when we do return that the dragons are ready to welcome her and to swear their allegiance," Xingteng said throwing her brother a grateful smile, if he hadn't stepped in she knew that it would have been a long drawn out battle to get her father and grandfather to agree with her.

But Xingteng was determined that she would never allow the young queen to step one talon on the dragon realm, with the current power hierarchy. The elders held too much power, and were too corrupt. She had first-hand experience of just what the elders and their awful offspring were capable of.

Xingteng lowered her eyes, to hide the bloodthirsty look in them. Heihuo just you wait for me, she vowed, when I am stronger I will personally rip every single scale from your body while you beg and scream for mercy.

"So when do you plan to leave?" Lanhuo asked.

"In a couple of days time, I need to brief father on a few issues. Also, I have to meet with Ren in two days time." Xinglong stated.

"Ren, the demon king?" Lanhuo queried.

"Hmm."

"Why on earth is the demon king coming to the dragon realm?" Laolong asked.

"Not sure, but it must be something important, he hardly ever leaves the demon realm, and he personally requested this meeting."

"Oh, okay then you can all leave in a weeks time, that will give you enough time to arrange everything. Have you thought about how you going to track down our new queen?" Lanhuo asked.

Xinglong lifted his paw and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Considering how powerful that magic was, it would have left traces in the earth. All we need to do is track where the magic came from and we will have a starting point to track her down."

"Hmm, but it is still going to be difficult as you have no idea which realm she is in?"

"I know, but all we can do is visit each realm and search hopefully she will release another powerful magic burst like that, and this time I won't be caught unaware and will be able to track the magic, even if I can't track it straight back to her, it at least will tell me which realm she is in."

Lanhuo nodded. "Good plan."

After finalizing their plans, it was decided that the five siblings would travel in their human forms so as not to raise any suspicions. Most of the other races, besides humans, kept to their own realms and rarely traveled outside.

After bidding everyone goodbye, Lanhuo flew back to Shadow Mountain, he would return in a weeks time to see his grandchildren off.

The four younger siblings and Yulong retired to their own courtyards while Xinglong and his father discussed the affairs of the dragon realm until late in the evening before returning to their respective courtyards.

***

Deep in the middle of the night, while the family was sleeping, a dark shadow stealthily made its way out of the royal quarters. Once outside and with no one around to see the shadow took to the skies flying east until it came to a large estate.

After the first shadow left, two more shadows followed shortly afterward, one heading west while the other flew south. Neither of the shadows was aware of the other.

After landing the shadow made its way to a secret passage. The tunnel led to a luxuriously appointed study. Entering the study, a dark grey dragon kneeled with his head bent.

"Master," a gravelly voice whispered.

"So did you manage to find out the real reason why the old man left his mountain?" Elder Shanshe asked impatiently.

"Yes master, they have found a silver queen," the spy answered subserviently.

"What?" Elder Shanshe gasp out shocked.

The spy then went on to relay the conversation that he had overheard.

"Is that all you were able to find out?" Elder Shanshe asked curtly.

"Sorry master, there are too many guards patrolling the area, I only managed to overhear about the silver queen, and I had to leave when the servants arrived to deliver their tea."

"Return and watch those brats carefully, do not let them discover you. Only come and report if it is absolutely necessary." Elder Shanshe ordered.

Once his spy had left his study, Elder Shanshe summoned his grandson. This was incredibly good news, if the bronze dragon sect could gain control over this silver queen, they would dominate all the other sects.

If those good-for-nothing shadow dragons managed to bring back a silver queen then all his plans would be for naught. He can not allow that to happen, Elder Shanshe thought.

Once his grandson arrived, Elder Shanshe explained the whole situation to him.

"By the gods, a silver queen," Heihuo said with burgeoning excitement. If he could lay his hands on a silver queen, his future would be limitless. Forget about that bitch Xingteng, a silver queen was worth so much more, he thought.

Anyway once he had that silver queen under his control, he could have any female dragon that he wanted, he thought, his eyes darkened with greedy lust as he daydreamed of having any female he desired under his control.

Elder Shanshe seeing the naked lust in his grandson's eyes raised his paw with is talons flexed and whacked him across the head. His talons left a wide, deep gash across Heihuo forehead.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Heihuo. You are not to touch that queen do you understand me," Elder Shanshe demanded harshly.

"And don't think you can cross me, youngling you are centuries too young to take me on. Grandson or not, if you cross me on this — I will end you!"

With blood streaming out of his gash and blinding his right eye, Heihuo bowed deeply.

"I am very sorry. Grandfather, I let my emotion get the better of me, it won't happen again. I know just how important this queen is to our sect." Heihuo apologized with false sincerity.

"It was really masterful of you to turn that shadow dragon into your own man. With this silver queen under your control Grandfather, you will be the most powerful dragon in the realm, even the other realm leaders will have to bow down to you." Heihuo praised his tone filled with fawning flattering, his eyes showing respect and awe.

"Bah, of course, those half breed dogs should know their place, it is humiliating how I have to bow and kowtow to their demands. They will soon know their position when I put them back where they belong — underneath my talons and serving our great sect as slaves." Elder Shanshe boasted.

Seeing that his lustful grandson was cowed and showing him proper respect, Elder Shanshe decided to throw him a small treat.

"Once you have bought that silver queen back, I will give you that bitch Xingteng and her sister. Play with them as you like."Elder Shanshe said grandly showing his generosity.

Ingratiatingly Heihuo replied: "Really? Oh, thank you, Grandfather. I will not disappoint you. I swear."

Just you f*cking wait, when I have that silver queen under my control, I will have you bowing and begging for my mercy, Heihuo thought viciously.

Elder Shanshe and Heihuo discussed their plans, it was decided that Heihuo would only take two elite guards with him, and following the siblings until they located the queen. Once the queen was found, Heihuo would contact his grandfather for additional reinforcements. The three brothers were to be slain, and the two sisters and queen taken, to one of the bronze dragons secret holdings in the human realm.

After bidding his grandfather goodnight, Heihuo rushed to his courtyard to make his own arrangements. Unbeknown to his grandfather Heihuo had spent hundreds of years building up his own forces, only loyal to himself.

The senile old fool, Heihuo laughed, thinking that I would be stupid enough to use his forces.

***

While Elder Shanshe and Heihuo were making their plans, the elders from the red dragon and the green dragon sects received similar reports from their own spies.

Late into the night, the two elders also made their own plans to gain control of the new queen. None of them aware that soon the whole dragon realm would be thrown into chaos, when Laolong revealed the devastating truth about the fall of Queen Xueteng.